


3/4 Time

by buccellati



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Ballroom Dancing, Fluff, M/M, fenhawke - Freeform, im SO bad at tagging works. but anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-04-02 10:21:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4056424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buccellati/pseuds/buccellati
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fenris, despite any previous remarks, really has no clue how to dance.</p>
<p>Hawke, however, does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	3/4 Time

**Author's Note:**

> takes place during act 2, presumably as hawke is in the middle of trying to romance fenris...
> 
> also, do they even have any kind of music playing devices in thedas? phonographs? record players? is it just live bands? does anyone really know

It's surprising, Fenris thinks, how much lighting a couple candles really brightens up a place.

Of course, a mage stomping back and forth running through the halls doesn't exactly hurt. It's the most lively evening the mansion has seen in three years, and likely one of the most lively Fenris has seen in about that much time.

"Hawke- _Garrett_ , what exactly--"

"This is a big place, you must have some kind of- Ah! Here we go."

Fenris isn't quite sure what Hawke is up to, scurrying around the empty dusty halls of the mansion. But he must have found what he was looking for, the elf figures, as music slowly starts wafting through the doorways and into Fenris's room.

The elf slips a smile as Hawke returns. "I trust it that was what you were looking for?"

Hawke tilts his head in affirmation. "Any good mansion has to have something to keep it lively. Otherwise it'd be hard to tell anyone lived here."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"I'm sure you will."

The back of Fenris's neck burns. Whatever music Hawke put on, on whatever phonograph or similar little something in some other room, it's delightful- slow and melodious and nothing Fenris has ever heard before. Not like he had ever had that much exposure to music.

Hawke extends a hand gracefully. "Shall we?"

"Shall we...what?"

His grin stretches from ear to ear, and he gestures wildly. "What, you thought I put this on just for my own satisfaction? You'd be partially right, of course, but- let's dance."

"I don't- I can't say I've ever danced."

"Now's as good a time as any, Fenris."

"I suppose it is."

Hawke reaches out a hand, and Fenris obliges. The two are the same height, almost- Hawke does have a considerable few inches on the elf, just enough so when they're close the mage can tilt his head up and rest his chin on the top of Fenris's head-

-right, less of that, more concentrating on dancing.

"I've never actually danced before. Figured I should tell you, to start off."

Hawke taps his feet to the rhythym of the music. It's a waltz, Fenris guesses, based on what little music-related information he's managed to accidentally garner over the years. A smooth little _one two three, one two three_...

"What, you really were joking with Varric?"  
"What?"  
"When you said you spend all your time dancing around this old place. Choreographing."  
"You thought I was serious?"  
"No." He grins. "But I wished you were."  
"Must've made for quite a mental picture."  
"Something like _this?_ "

Fenris feels Hawke's firm grip around his waist, and he's swept into the air before he has a chance to take a breath, landing back on the floor before he has a chance to process that his- _friend_ , well- _Hawke_ just picked him up and spun him around and...

"Teach me how to dance." He's a bit out of breath now.  
"That's the spirit!"

Hawke's hands are warm, a little calloused, a little strangely strong. "You have strong hands for a mage."  
"Twirling around that staff is hard work, you know."  
"I've never seen any other mage twirl theirs like you do."  
"You're breaking my focus!"

Fenris rolls his eyes. "My bad. Are you going to teach me, or stand here holding my hands and tapping your feet?"

"We could move past holding hands, if you really want."

"That's not- I mean- _Hawke!_ " The elf's chest tightens- though whether from giddiness or anxiety, he isn't sure. He isn't sure he's had much experience with the first one.

Unfazed, though, the mage's smile is the cheekiest it's been all night. "Right, so- first you move your feet kind of like this. In a square."

"Simple enough."

Hawke moves his right hand to Fenris's back. "And then..." Fenris, staring at Hawke rather than listening to his words, is more than a little surprised when he's dipped so close to the floor he swears his hair brushes the dust.

"What was that?"  
"Part of the dance!" Fenris has no choice but to follow Hawke's lead- gallivanting out of the small room and around the mansion, _one two three, one two three_. By the time the song ends, the back of the elf's neck is hot, and the mage's cheeks are about as red as the blood commonly swiped across his nose.

Fenris takes a moment to realize he really has no idea why the man does that. He quickly puts it out of his mind, though, as his companion stands up from the stairs where they were resting and stretches his arms above his head.

"Leaving so soon?"  
"Time passes, unfortunately. It's late."  
"You could always stay the night."  
"Maybe another time." Hawke's smile betrays his tentative maybe, and Fenris knows that it's a promise.  
"Maybe." The corners of his mouth turn up. "Anyway, Hawke- Garrett..." The two are standing inches apart, and looking into the other man's eyes, Fenris feels all inhibition leave him.

He closes his eyes, tilts his neck until he's kissing the mage on the lips. It seems to drag on forever- though even forever isn't long enough for Fenris to have some semblance of regret when the two mouths part.

"Thank you."

Hawke looks frazzled, in the most endearing way. "For what?"

Fenris smiles, now, a genuine one. "Teaching me how to dance."

The mage's brain doesn't quite process the event until he's halfway home.


End file.
